Resilient spring envelope for collapsible tubes



June 17, 1952 E. FREEDMAN ,6

RESILIENT SPRING ENVELOPE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed Aug. 10, 1949 O NENTOR! I V EMIEL FREEDMAN ATTORNEY Patented June 17, 1952 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE RESILIENT SPRING ENVELOPE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES EmielFreedman, Nanuet, N. Y. Application August 10, 1949, Serial No. 109,578

provide a resilient envelope for collapsible tubes to provide acontinuous pressure against the walls of the tube to assure a sustainedflow of the fluid, cream or other material in the tube.

Another object is to provide an envelope for collapsible tubes Whichwill protect the tube against breakage or mutilation.

More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide aflexible spring or envelope for collapsible tubes to exert automatic andcontinuous pressure, providing protection for the tube and permittingthe tube to be handled easier and in a better manner.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a flexible springenvelope for collapsible tubes with seated ball ends containing liquidor paste, such as lacquer dye for furs, silks and other fabrics, ofsimple, inexpensive construction, providing a continuous pressureagainst the walls of the tube so that the liquid, will at all times befed automatically to the ball end providing automatic continuous flow ofthe material in the tube when desired.

Another object is to provide a resilient envelope for collapsible tubes,the pressure of which can be easily chosen depending upon the characterof the liquid, cream, dye, ointment or other material to be dispensedfrom the tube.

The tubes for which the resilient envelope is particularly adapted arecollapsible tubes with a ball point seated within a rigid walled ballsocket at the applicator end of the tube.

completely fills the tube. The resilient envelope exerts a sustainedpressure against the collapsible walls of the tube to cause said Wallsto become displaced in direction to diminish the volumetric capacity asthe dye or other liquid or cream is dispensed at the ball point, therebymaintaining the walls of the tube at all times in intimate engagementwith the entire surface of the dye, or other liquid material in the tubeand accordingly preventing the formation of voids in the tube. Thesustained pressure against the outer walls of the tube is provided bythe resilient envelope and is suflicient to overcome the resistance ofthe material from which the tube is made, such as lead or plastic sothat the column of dye or other liquid or cream is pressedforward'affirmatively to urge the ball against its seat. The resilientenvelope extends longitudinally around the collapsible tube.

The dye, marking ink, or other incompressible liquid 2 Collapsible tubesused for dyes, marking ink, creams, oils, ointments and other similarmaterials are apt to become damaged by dropping,

or punctured by coming in contact with other articles, and to crack orbreak by rolling or squeezing, thus permitting the contents to escape.The resilient envelope of the invention provides a protective coveringfor such tubes which can be easily applied and adequately enclose thetube preventing injury, providing ample space for advertising theproduct and automatically providing continuous pressure to dispense thecontents of the tube when the ball end is used during applications ofthe contents.

In the dyeing of furs, silks and other materials, particularly, it isnecessary to feed the dye continuously to the pelt, or other materialswith an even and uniform flow of dye, to obtain clear marking, thusprevent loss of time due to stoppage of flow which oitimes occurs in theordinary flexible marking tube.

Normally, a residual amount of dye, or other material remains in thefolded collapsible tube thus causing a percentage of loss of thecontents of the tube. This invention saves such loss.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference is had to the following detailed description, in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, in which are shown one or more ofvarious possible embodiments of the several features of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a like pair of spring steel leaves;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the two leaves shown in Fig. 1 held together byspirally wound adhesive tape;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the'resilient envelope with a collapsible tube,shown in dotted lines, enclosed therein;

Fig. 4. is a plan view of the shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a front end view of the envelope and tube shown in Figs. 3 and4;

Fig. 6 is a rear end view of the envelope and envelope and tube tube ofFig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a modified form of resilient envelope;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of another modified form of resilientenvelope;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a tube made of Fi 12 is a p view of stillanother modified form of resilient envelope.

Fig. 13 is a transverse sectional view of still another modification ofthe envelope.

Referring to the drawings, numeral 2!! refers to a pair of likeresilient spring steel leaves which are placed together and spirallywound with adhesive tape 2|, as shown in Fig. 2. Tape 21 may be of any'of the well known adhesive tapes now on the market, such as cloth,plastic, rubber, leather or like materials. A paper, plastic or similarcovering 22 is then pasted over the tape,

2| to give the envelope a finishing cover. Covering 22 provides adequatespace for advertising,

etc.

The adhesive tape 2! has suflicientstrength to hold the opposedlongitudinal edges. of both leaf springs 20 to ether and permits theleaf springs to flex.

The type of tube 23, shown in dotted lines in the figures has a; rigidwalled socket for a movable writing point, preferably in the form of aball, as is well known in the art, to which the dye, ink or othermaterial passes. After the tube 23 is filled with material which may beof any desired viscosity depending upon the requirements from freeflowing to a paste, the resilient spring steel leaves 2.0. are flexed orbowed by compressing; the edges and the tube'23 is then slipped betweenthe leaves, 29 which thus forms an envelope, as; best shown in Figs. 3and 4. The leaves 2!! press against the collapsiblev walls of the tube23 in a direction substantially at right angles to the axis thereof. Thebowed resilient substantially uniform, since the pressure exerted bytheenvelope is substantially as great as when the tube is nearly empty aswhen it is full. This pressure is transmitted through the walls of thecollapsible tube 23., through the body of dye, or the material in thetube and to the movable ball seated. in the end of the tube. The ballpicks upthe dye, or other material from the cavity in which it' isseated in an amount adequate to form a continuous line and as the dye isthus slowly used, the sustained pressure of the leaves 211 exertedagainst the walls of the tube 23 cause the dye to. feed forwardsufliciently and constantly to. the ball, but no leak occurs since thatpressure always maintains the ball against the seating tip.

The pressure exerted upon. the walls of the tube 23 may vary by the useof steelof greater or lesser resiliency so that for use of a veryviscous dye or cream ater sprin pressure might be used than for a morefluid dye.

In the modification shown in Fig. 7, a single piece of spring steel 24may be bent along the longitudinal center 25 and the device or envelopemay be taped and covered in a manner similar to that shown and describedfor Figs. 1+6, inclusive.

In the modification shown in Fig. 8, a single piece of spring steel 26,may be bent at 21, one side 28,, being flat and the other side 2-9slightly bowed, or the flat side may be of rigid nonflexible. metal andthe bowed side may be of flexible spring steel. This device may also. betaped and covered as that shown in Figs. 1-6.

In the modification shown in, Fig. 9 the walls of the. collapsible tubeare made of resilient material, such as rubber or plastic forming twoparallel leaves. in a collapsed position and the longitudinal edges are.vulcanized or welded. The tube. is filled by exerting transversepressure upon the longit inal edges 32 causing the walls to bow, asshown in Fig. 9. When the tube is sealed the resiliency of the rubber orplastic walls tends to cause the tube to collapse thus exerting acontinuous pressure upon the ball point providing a continuous flow ofthe material within the tube.

In the modification shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the resilient spring steelleaves 20' are of the same shape as those shown in Fig. l and suchleaves are held together at their longitudinal edges by clamping a pairof opposed channel members 30 along the edges of the leaves 20.

In the modification shown in Fig. 12, a pair of spring steel leaves 20"are spot welded adjacent the longitudinal edges as shown at 3|. Ofcourse, such leaves may be seam welded instead of spot, welded.

In the modifications shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, these devices may becovered with paper, cardboard or plastic material to enhance theappearance.

The modified devices shown in Figs. '7, 8, 10 and 12 are used andapplied on the tube in the same manner as that shown and described forFigs. 1-6, inclusive.

Fig. 13 is a transverse sectional view of still another modified formcomprising a pair of sprin steel leaves 20 enclosed within a sleeve madeof rubber, or plastic or cloth, or other material 33 to hold the leaves20 together at their edges while in a bowed or compressed condition. Itis also possible to hold the edges of the leaves together by overlappingtape running longitudinally in a manner similar to that shown in Fig.10.

The present invention may be advantageously applied by way of examplewith tubes for inks, creams, ointments, perfume, paste, mucilage andsimilar materials.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications can be made in thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe general spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A resilient envelope adapted to operate on a collapsible tube fordispensing liquid and semisolid materials, said envelope comprising twolike spring steel leaves substantially rectangular in shape, adhesivetape spirally wound around said leaves holding said leaves togetherpermitting said leaves to be bowed, said envelope exerting substantiallyuniform continuous pressure along at least a major portion of the lengthof said tube at substantially right angles to the axis thereof,progressively to collapsesaid tube as said material is emitted from oneend of said tube to urge the walls of said tube into intimateengagementwith the material within said tube and to exert forward pressure on thematerial within said tube.

2. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein the adhesive tape iscovered with a finishing outer material.

3. A resilient envelope adapted to operate on a collapsible tube fordispensing liquid and semi-solid materials, said envelope comprising twolike spring steel leaves substantially rectangular in shape, said leavesenclosed within a sleeve of resilient material, said sleeve holding saidleaves together at their edges while in a. bowed condition, saidenvelope exerting substantially uniform continuous pressure along atleast a major portion of the length of said tube at substant1ally rightangles to the axis thereof, progressively to collapse said tube as saidmaterial is emitted from one end of said tube to urge the walls of saidtube into intimate engagement with the material within said tube and toexert forward pressure on the material within said tube.

4. A resilient spring envelope adapted to operate on a collapsible tubehaving a ball seated valve at one end held in position by a spring fordispensing liquid and semi-solid materials, said envelope comprising twolike spring steel leaves substantially rectangular in shape, adhesivetape spirally wound around said leaves holding said leaves togetherpermitting said leaves to be bowed, said envelope substantiallycircumscribing the major area of said tube, said envelope exertingsubstantially uniform continuous pressure along at least a major portionof the length oi said tube at substantially right angles to the axisthereof, progressively to automatically collapse said tube as saidmaterial is emitted from one C end thereof.

5. A resilient envelope adapted to operate on a collapsible tube fordispensing liquid and semisolid material, said envelope comprising twospring steel leaves substantially rectangular in 6 least a major portionof the length of said 001- lapsible tube at substantially right anglesto the axis thereof, progressively to collapse said tube as saidmaterial is emitted from one end of said tube to urge the walls of saidtube into intimate engagement with the material within said tube and toexert forward pressure on the material within said tube.

EMIEL FREEDMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 103,640 Merritt May 31, 18701,089,683 Stapler Mar. 10, 1914 1,510,848 Hubbard Oct. 7, 1924 1,654,549Mohun Jan. 3, 1928 1,731,703 Bourke Oct. 15, 1929 2,076,048 Seelman Apr.6, 1937 2,204,778 Sturm June 18, 1940 2,444,003 Chesler June 22, 19482,444,004 Chesler June 22, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date133,993 Great Britain Oct. 2'7, 1919

